Core Issues Alt
by Getful
Summary: Not by the author of the Core Issues Series. Read the original and Season two chapter 7 to get the circumstance. Just includes my OC with the original author's story as a backdrop. References to other Undertale AUs as well. Fanfiction of a fanfiction, You've been warned.


**Disclaimer: This story is based on/inspired by the Core Issues Series by Nicolle. Please read the original and season 2 up to chapter 7 to understand. The OC here is not a part of Core Issues in anyway or Undertale or any version of Undertale out there. Undertale belongs to Toby Fox and all other versions belong to their creators. This is just my response to the ending of chapter 7 and should not be taken as canon or seriously.**

Seraph Foundation was busy with activity from employees and agents since the new information came in. No one really gave any attention to him. If you looked at him you'd see a grey cap, tinted skiing googles with a strap big enough to cover his ears and most of his hair, and a pattern less bandana that stuck to his face. The rest of him was easy to imagine on the street, grey light jacket with two pockets, black wool gloves, cargo pants that had a brown tint, and brown running boots with black soles. Only one thing made him stand out, the six colored star on his cap. To a visitor in Seraph Foundation he would have looked as if he were strolling or a bit lost, a rookie's first day on the job. That was fine; he wanted as few people to know where he was going, especially any Frisks or Sans-es. To the employees he wasn't an unusual sight here, he'd helped out a bit when Cross was obsessed and leading Midnight Collapse, man was doing better with Church and Bones. It was evident, Cross's drawings on stream were less depressing.

But something had to ruin it. Cross starts recovering from having his Chara in his head, and now his reality was destroyed by the C.H.A.R.A virus. Well, they call them timelines here, and now his timeline was destroyed. Between resetting and keeping everything the way they are now, he knew how much of a choice it was for Cross, and that's why this had to happen. Sure, he'd had a misunderstanding with D earlier when he was left behind at the hospital during Red's sister's delivery service. If anything it was his own fault for napping in the storage room, and killing D with the pad on his arm wouldn't have been a good thing.

" **That was weeks ago, stick to the plan."**

" **Right."**

He only had the leather pouch hanging from his left hand with whatever which version of what god knows what. No pad on his left arm either, there wasn't a need to torch anything right now especially D. As he walked down the crowded hallway he looked up from the ground and saw something he didn't want to.

" **Great, here he comes."**

" **Last thing I need."**

The figure he saw among the masses was significantly taller than most, wore a lab coat, and was not a skeleton. He had been hoping to avoid this person but it seems as if they had to walk down the same hallway today of all days. At least if said person restrained him all he had to worry about was fur. Only five steps separated them now.

"Howdy, where were you the last week?"

"In the room you had cleared out, just making sure it is what you said it was."

Asriel changed his trajectory to match the jumper's. He was originally heading to the lab with equations on a clipboard, but the direction change made his destination his associate's.

"The lab is still open if you want to use it, the equipment there is better than what you'd find in an empty storage room."

"I'd prefer to have a small room with little in it that's reinforced than a lab that can be opened with a keycard, no offence but I think the storage room is better for what I have in mind. There are more systems in the lab than in a storage room, and Techno Sans said he was a virus."

" _What happened there? Why does Cross keep looking at that reset button you gave him?_

" _The mission was a success, we know why Techno left with Error, and well…"_

" _Well?"_

" _Cross's reality was destroyed, according to Techno."_

" _You're kidding me."_

" _No."_

" _What kind of irony is this?" He started to wave his hands around, "First, Cross goes around recruiting people to destroy timelines, and now when he's getting over his mistake his timeline is destroyed. Why does something always have to go wrong with happy endings?" Two fingers were held out "Give me two days, just two and I'll be back."_

" _If you're worried about Frisk you don't have to be, she knows you don't destroy timelines."_

" _Just to be sure, our first meeting wasn't painless." He crossed his arms around his chest. "It involved blinking red lights and sirens. I'm just going to jump over to another reality" His thumb came out "Grab what I need, and be back before Frisk thinks I took off to blow something up. Well, if that's alright with you Blue."_

"Past, teleport for two."

The voice that responded was mechanical, but it felt as if the tone was just a filter for what was inside. "I copy."

Asriel and his associate materialized in front of Frisk's family cabin. Asriel opened the door and searched through the rooms as his associate stood at the door. "No one's home."

"That's fine, I just wanted to leave a note for him." He walked over to the desk and placed the half sheet face down. Walking back he glanced at everything as if it was his last time. "Well, I'm going to go get started in case he attacks the foundation."

"It's a virus."

How Asriel managed to say that with a flat tone didn't surprise him, but he thought the leader of monsters in his timeline might have had a bit more consideration with these types of matters. After all he hadn't said to downright kill Cross when Midnight Collapse was a problem. He stopped in the middle of the room. Sarcasm was being released at high density per square cm of air, "Right and C is just an A.I and not really Chara."

Asriel's brows funneled together as he faced the grey ghost, "That's not fair. He's on a mission with Bones and Frisk right now. If he were here he would have sent you to the med bay."

"Giving Cross a chance is fair, but not giving a 'virus' a chance is fair?" His voice raised, "I don't hear you calling Fase an it, and I'm certain you wouldn't call your brother an it either even if IT'S JUST ANOTHER VERSION."

The rooms resonated with his last four words. They stared because there was nothing else to be said. Asriel started for the door and the associate stood in the middle of the room staring at his head, he turned around to face the window in Frisk's cabin. "I'm sorry." Asriel turned around at the door sill. "I guess it's just been crazy, first Midnight Collapse and now this, to think I stopped jumping between timelines." An audible sigh was heard, "Yet, despite meeting you guys and being able to put the word crazy on that, I can put comforting on there as well. It's nice to know that there are others who try to get others their happy ending, it's nice to know that the world isn't as kill or be killed as a certain flower believes." Asriel shuddered as he remembered asking about Flowey. "I guess it was nice meeting you guys, no one's perfect …I shouldn't have blown up on you."

"I'll see you at the lab later?"

He turned to face Asriel, "Yeah, I'll bring the orb over with some coffee when I'm done."

They stepped out and he couldn't help but stare at the lake. No wonder Frisk's family chose this place for a cabin, probably costed a bit though. "Past teleport for two again." They reappeared in the hallway and each went his own way. Some distance was made between the two of them before he started walking faster. The pouch felt heavier, he'd lied to Asriel about the procedure, if anything he wasn't going to be able to bring Asriel the orb or coffee. It seemed petty but he might not come back this time.

 _It was a check up on one of the timelines. They were in Snowdin when he found a crate with a laptop sitting on it. He pulled some data and hadn't expected this._

" _Take another step and this knife goes in."_

 _This version of Chara had managed to grab him and hold a knife to the front of his throat. He was between his holder, Church, and Bones. He'd glanced at the data before getting grabbed. It was about where the badges were being made._ _ **"Somethings are worth dying for huh?"**_ _Church had her pistol and Bones was ready with magic. He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing him, pinkie on the left, and released his thumb from the fist horizontally. "Take the shot."_

" _Shut up! I swear I'll off him!" the knife was shaking._

" _I'll just come back." Despite the stuff covering his face it felt as if he were winking._

" _I said shut up!"_

 _Bam_

 _A red stream came from his neck, he fell face first onto the snow. The snow was becoming a light red as more and more of it flowed out. The circle was growing larger and he was its center. This version of Chara had been hit by a foam bullet and was relatively unharmed; same couldn't be said for him._

" _He's bleeding out."_

" _Damn it! I'll get the food."_

 _Everything was a blur, light seemed to come from everywhere, the snow seemed to be the same color as the blood and the blood seemed to be lifting off the ground. He grasped Bone's knee and gave it his weakest squeeze. His last breath came after that._

" **It doesn't matter if we died that day, they tried."**

" _I told you I'd come back." He was punched in the shoulder by Bones promptly._

He was near the storage room, but he went to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was full as breakfast was something the night shift and early shift workers had at the Foundation. The pouch landed on the chair next to him as he sat at a table with four chairs. He pulled out a box from his pocket. The top of the box in his hand flicked open as he pulled out a cigarette with his bandana covered mouth.

A voice called from two tables away, "Hey Pat, I thought you don't smoke."

"I don't." The cigarette shimmered and revealed a chocolate covered bread stick. "It's just a bread stick, how many times have you fallen for that?"

"One two many," the Sans held out two fingers, "Maybe I'll remember next time."

"Maybe I'll remember your knack for puns." He chewed on the stick through his bandana, sneaking glances at the storage room, sneaking glances at the hallway afraid that Cross would appear and take him down. Afraid that Cross might have alerted Blue, Red, Asriel, C, Fase, anyone.

" **It's been great meeting you guys. I never expected this after I retired, meeting you guys, going through this crazy adventure, and now it's all about to end."**

" **You don't have to end this, we can find another way."**

" **No one else suffers; we made him suffer for nine days when we could have made it two days. We spent a whole week just trying to talk ourselves into this.**

He sighed so heavily that the tables around him turned. **"It'd be selfish to not help them one last time."**

The other tables had turned back to their meals and conversations. He gave the stick a silent farewell and tossed it through his bandana effectively finishing it. One last glance told him that no one was coming here in a hurry. The pouch reappeared hanging from his left hand and soon it was heading for the storage room alongside him. A week ago he'd asked Asriel how reinforced the glass door was, Asriel said if a really determined Frisk tried to break it they would, but it would be awhile. It slid open and he entered. **"They won't forgive us if we survive."** The pouch was peeled off the orb and placed on the table in the corner. He beheld the orb in its golden shine, the sun engraving made up of ten triangles and a circle, and the two indents on either side of the sun. His fingers connected at the tip forming a shell for the orb, he faced the wall adjacent to the door, checking to make sure no one was snooping, and finally faced the thing that would end his life, and bring back someone's timeline. His thumbs homed in on the indents and pressed in. The North Eastern triangle started to outline itself, once that finished than the next would start till all ten were outlined, than the circle, than the orb itself. **"Wish for the thing you want, don't let go even when the orb is finished."**

It'd taken two hours, but four of the triangles were outlined and the fifth was halfway done. Although it probably wouldn't take another two hours as with each successive triangle outlined the next went by faster. No one suspected anything, the cafeteria was bustling with noise and people walking down the hallway didn't give him a second glance.

" **Heads up, got a blip heading straight for you."**

" **Keep the door locked, just fifteen more minutes."**

The door made a noise that could only be described as being rammed. Asriel was beating the door with his hand and had a look like he'd been lied to about something. Hopefully Blue was too busy or the door would be ripped like a void crusher disintegrates flesh. South finished outlining and lower South West started to shine. It was scary how hard and fast Asriel was beating the door, maybe it wasn't as strong as he thought.

"Pat, stop!"

How he'd like to.

" **Don't let go."**

"SCS, desist!"

How easy it'd be.

" **Don't let go, won't you?"**

"Cross, help me break the door!"

 _The tornado that was colored purple, the two of them lying on a flat piece of rock, heads towards the center. Angel and human certain that the end was coming, holding hands even as the rock broke in two._

" _Don't let go, won't you …partner?"_

"Stand back." a giant bone dragon claw ran into the door cracking and bending the door.

A purple glow surrounded his masked head and a purple wavy line flowed out towards the owner of the claw. Said owner of the claw was going to be in pain.

"He's … messing … with … my … head!" D was going to have a headache afterwards.

"SCS, I said desist!"

South West had finished defining itself on the orb, its neighbor, lower West, was now starting to make its existence more concrete. How many people have had their lives toyed with because others dismissed their existence? How many times have people had their happy ending denied because it was a game to others? But it wasn't always their fault. **"Sometimes there is no enemy, we're all sufferers."**

Looking at the wall he saw a living phantom. He saw Frisk looking right back at him, and she wasn't covered in flowers. She was supposed to be, but they both knew what he'd done. If only he could have done more, if only he could have stopped flower number one, if only he could have stopped the vivisection of her by Alphys, if only he could have stopped every single death. If only they could have seen that she wasn't the enemy.

"I'm sorry, I've lied to you more than once. I said I'd try but all I've done is continue."

" _Always be kind, sometimes kindness is all we can give. Sometimes kindness is enough."_

Water leaked from the goggle, first a drop, then a second, then enough to steadily soak the bandana. He'd never forget. At least she had Sans and Flowey.

"You're an angel of two kinds, and I'm a demon of my race."

 _He'd been tempted to give Sans his gun. If anything because she didn't deserve to be killed over and over again. But at her request, he hid himself back in his room and continued on with the serum. She didn't want to make their problems his, how kind of her. He retired to his room, booted up his laptop, and played a round of death match. "Last one standing…"_

"This isn't a game Pat!" More hammering on the bent door, "Come on, there's got to be another way."

"… _loses the one they love."_

She disappeared, returned to Sans and Flowey as she deserved to be.

His boots had rivers on them flowing onto the floor forming a pool under them. It'd been a promise he could never keep.

 **Freak,** _ **"You're the first success, and perhaps the only one."**_

 **Anomaly,** _ **"Is this the happy ending they want? Or is it the one you force on them?"**_

 **Killjoy,** _ **"It's just a game, come on they're just puppets."**_

Both of the Wests had finished making themselves known, and their northwards neighbors were starting the process.

"A hundred and twenty seconds, keep that door locked."

" **Like I'd fail you in your last wish."**

"I hope not Past." He looked over to see how much progress they made.

They weren't making much progress on the door since D went down. But they still did a good number on it bending the middle into a cone while nearly ripping the hinges from the frame. Asriel was on his phone rapidly typing, probably some override that Past was counteracting. Beside him was Cross looking the door over with his pistol out, in the back was D on the ground holding his head.

Turning back to face the orb he did not expect to see another persisting ghost and almost threw the orb at the roof. It was Frisk again… just… a bit… with their head closer to the ground. Frisk was completely grey with no eyes after a certain incident, but their kindness hadn't changed.

"Is it safe to assume you're seeing this right now?" Frisk nodded, "Stirred up a bit of trouble in the Omega Timeline, sorry about that," He looked back down at the orb, "not that it's going to happen again." Frisk faded like their predecessor, into the void.

The sun was defined and the circle around it continued the process. "Sixty seconds left."

How do you console someone when you're dying? Sometimes telling them its ok works, sometimes a grasp is enough. But disintegrating bodies have a tendency to traumatize family, friends, and comrades. What else could you do?

"Cross shoot the orb."

The room was empty as Asriel had said, and he was too far to let it end this way. He moved the orb and himself one hundred and eighty degrees putting himself in the line of fire, with no sight of the orb from the with Cross's implants would be a poor life decision. Turning his head around to face the door he held their attention. "You willing to shoot me again Cross?"

"No."

" **Twenty seconds."**

"It's alright, I'll just come back."

"Like that angel who used it before you? He said he'd be reborn but he didn't come back."

"That angel was my partner," streams were leaking from the goggles, into the bandana, onto the jacket, and splashing on the floor, "besides I'm extra, it's nice to have me but I'm not required."

"How can you say that after all the people you've helped? What would they want you to do?"

"I don't know, there's a lots of timelines out there. You can't chart every variation "

" **Ten seconds."**

Giving them one last second, he turned around to face the orb as it shined brighter.

"Even if I don't come back,"

You can leave a note for them, the explanation after death. There was always the possibility of the extraordinary happening.

" _Any last words?"_

" _What did you write on that note?"_

He started disintegrating, just like the angel had said, first his toes and from there upwards. It wasn't the usual disintegration where his clothes disintegrated as well, it was just him.

 _They were saying their farewells, angel and human. It had been just them in the purple tornado. Soon it would be just him._

Quietly, he whispered what he'd said so many times before. Everyone he'd killed, everyone who'd died on his behalf, everyone who died because of him. He'd join them this time.

"I'll see you in the next life."

The orb fell and rolled into a corner after the deed. Boots still static, socks streaming out of them and into the pants. Jacket connected by and covering the belt loop, arms spread out as if making a snow angel with gloves for hands. A face in the floor wore a cap, goggles, and a bandana. There was no distinguishing who wore these, except for the six colored star on the cap. He wouldn't be coming back this time, or ever again. Pat was dead.

 **Notes: The AUs that this story mentions are Flowerfell, Core Frisk, and Core Issues which is the one this story takes place in. The cabin was supposed to be the apartment in the city but that was replaced. There were quite a few scenes added that were influenced by chapter 8 and 9 of Core Issues Season Two like the cabin. Other than that the only person I own here is the OC. This is a fanfiction of a fanfiction with references of a nonexistent past to other fanfictions.**


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